IHC also orders FIR against ARY for blasphemy against Ahl-e-Bait

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Muhammad Anwar Kasi has ordered the registration of an FIR against ARY TV for blaspheming Ahl-e-Bait, turning down a decision of the subordinate court.

The District Bar Association, Islamabad, has challenged dismissal of their application against the TV channel for blasphemy in the IHC. On Monday, CJ Anwar Kasi accepted the Bar’s application.

During the hearing, Bar president Nasir Ahmed Kayani and others were present in the courtroom while lawyer Raja Khalid Mehmood representedthe government. Kayani argued that additional district and sessions judge, justice of peace, Muhammad Jahangir Awan, had ordered FIR against Geo TV and not against ARY TV on the Bar’s application against blasphemy committed by the both. He appealed that the court should order Margalla Police Station to lodge the FIR against the private TV channel.

Standing Council Raja Khalid Mehmood contended that a channel aired blasphemous content once and then apologised but the other channel aired the same repeatedly. After completion of arguments, the court reserved the short order for a while before announcing it. It may be mentioned that the Bar moved court for registration of cases against TV channels after the police refused to lodge the cases.